Indavor Granted Permission For €160 Incinerator In Cork

An Bord Pleanala has granted permission to Indaver to develop a €160 Waste-To-Energy (WTE) incinerator in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.

The proposed 13,369 square metres facility will consists principally of a Waste-To-Energy (WTE) facility for the treatment of up to 240,000 tonnes per annum of residual household, commercial, industrial, non-hazardous and suitable hazardous waste.

The facility will treat household, commercial, industrial, non-hazardous and suitable hazardous waste, which will generate approximately 18.5MW of electricity for export to the national grid, the report states.

An Bord Pleanala added that there is also potential to provide for district heating.

The 10-year development plan also includes an upgrade to a section of the L2545 road, coastal protection measures on Gobby Beach, a connection to the national electricity distribution grid, the raising the ground levels in part of the site and the provision of an amenity walkway along the eastern and part southern boundary of the site.

Fierce Opposition

Indavor first applied for the development in December 2015 under Strategic Infrastructure Development, after having two previous applications to build an incinerator on the site since 2001.

The approval of the facility has sparked outrage from both local residents and members of the Dail, and was even advised against by the inspector.

Tánaiste Simon Coveny, who is based in Cork South Central, has expressed his “deep disappointment and frustration”.

In a statement, Coveney said, “I have opposed this application from the beginning and have supported the local community in their efforts to prevent this from going ahead for a decade now."

He added that it is “inconceivable” for a major incinerator to be developed in a harbour area where the Government has already invested millions in a marine college, clean-energy research centres and the clean-up of the old Irish Steel/Irish Ispat site on Haulbowline Island.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told RTÉ that, considering the significant development of the harbour and surrounding areas to transform them into recreational and educational facilities, the planned incinerator would not fit in aesthetically.